Chapter 20, The Spoilers, Summary

Taran and Gurgi travel to the neighboring Commot to deliver Annlaw's pottery and find that the town is preparing for an attack by some outlaws who have been attacking the neighboring towns. When Taran hears a description of the outlaws, he knows at once that it is Dorath and his men. Taran schemes with the men of the town to fight Dorath by convincing the outlaws there are more people in town than they suspected and then ambushing them. While setting up the plan, Taran befriends a young man and his father. The young man is injured during the subsequent fight, causing Taran great anger and grief as he goes after Dorath, but Taran is unable to catch the outlaw. The outlaws are destroyed either through the fight or because they scattered and Taran learns the young man will survive.